Victory: Monsanto drops GE Wheat

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Feature story - 11 May, 2004

There's a reason to celebrate today: Monsanto has caved at last and given up on further development or open field trials of its genetically engineered "Roundup Ready" wheat. Monsanto won't admit it has bowed to overwhelming market rejection, but that's clearly behind their decision. It's a hard-won victory for every environmental group, every consumer, every cyberactivist who has said "no" to genetically engineered foods. The decision fits a pattern of industry retreat set last month by Bayer CropScience's decision to withdraw GE maize from the UK.

Monsanto announced that it has suspended further development and open field trials of its genetically engineered, Roundup Ready wheat

"This is a victory for the environment, farmers and consumers,"
said Pat Venditti, our GE campaigner in Canada. "Strong rejection
of GE wheat from virtually every corner of the globe once again
showed the resistance to GE foods."

Monsanto announced today that they will defer all further
efforts to introduce Roundup Ready wheat, and that they will
discontinue breeding and field-level research of the crop. This
follows a similar announcement in 2003 when the company announced
its withdrawal from the development of pharmaceutical crops.

"Let's hope GE wheat permanently joins GE flax, GE tomatoes and
GE potatoes in the dustbin of bad ideas. Rather than having to
restage this battle in four years time, we hope that Monsanto has
heard loud and clear that genetically engineered wheat is a
non-starter," continued Mr. Venditti. "The Canadian Government
should make a note of this and re-think its devotion to this
unnecessary technology."

According to the Canadian Wheat Board 87 percent of Canadian
wheat buyers now require non-GE certification of wheat. In a survey
of countries willing to accept GE wheat by the US Department of
Agriculture, only four - Peru, Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Yemen - said
they would buy it.

Our GE team leader Dan Hindsgaul added: "Last year Monsanto
dropped GE pharmaceutical crops and now they have chosen to write
off huge investments in developing Roundup Ready GE wheat.
Consumers and farmers have long lost confidence in the company that
also gave us pesticides, PCBs, Agent Orange and GE growth hormones
for cattle. It's only a matter of time when Monsanto also lose the
backing they have enjoyed in certain government offices and among
financial analysts."